Arizona has a [http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-the-difference-between-a-primary-election-.html '''Semi-closed Primary'''] system that allows registered Independent and Non-declared voters the right to request a Party (partisan) Primary Ballot of THEIR CHOICE to vote for all candidates from city to federal office. This request can be made at the poll (do not accept a provisional ballot) on Election Day or by phone or email for an Early Mail-in Ballot starting 93 days before the August 26, 2014 Primary Election: [http://www.azsos.gov/election/county.htm '''Arizona State County Recorder contact information''']

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During the past Session (Fifty-first Legislature – Second Regular Session 2014) Arizona Politicians from both parties attempted to change the election laws to move Arizona to a [http://www.azleg.gov/SearchResults.asp?SearchedFrom=%2FBills.asp&Scope=%2Flegtext%2F51leg%2F2R&SearchPhrase=party+caucus&x=0&y=0 '''Caucus Primary System'''] due to Independent and Non-declared voter registration surging past the Republicans to constitute the largest voter bloc.

“A. Within ninety-three days before any election called pursuant to the laws of this state, an elector may make a verbal or signed request to the county recorder…..”

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“…..For any partisan primary election, if the elector is not registered as a member of a political party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the elector shall designate the ballot of only one of the political parties that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot and the elector may receive and vote the ballot of only that one political party….”

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Note: this right and such request does not change the registration status of the voter in the State of Arizona.

This page contains early voting information pertaining to the 50 states, up to date for the 2014 elections.

Early voting refers to voting in person at a polling station prior to the election date. "Absentee in-person" voting is included as a form of early voting. All but 7 states allow early voting in some form.

State-by-state-breakdown

43 states allow early voting in some capacity.

Of those, 34 states do not require any special requirements to vote early. They are as follows:

The following are among the most common requirements for early voting:

absence from the county on election day;

illness or physical disability;

is an appointed election officer or poll worked at a polling place other than his or her own;

works a required shift during polling hours on election day

religious observance

In the remaining state, New Jersey, early voting is handled on a county by county basis; not all counties have early voting.

Of the 43 states that allow early voting, 28 of them have a defined start date for when early voting begins.

The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in the 29 states analyzed. There are 9 states that allow early voting to begin as soon as a ballot is made available.

Alabama

Alaska

Alaska is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 15 days before an election and ends on election day.[1] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Arizona

Arizona is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 26 days before an election and ends at 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to Election Day.[2] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Arkansas

Arkansas is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Depending on the type of election, early voting begins seven to 15 days before an election and ends on the day prior to Election Day.[3] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

California

California is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting dates in California are determined by the counties. Look up your county information here. The nationwide average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Colorado

Colorado is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 10 days before a primary election and 15 days before a general election and ends on the day prior to Election Day.[4] The nationwide average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Connecticut

Delaware

Delaware is one of 14 states that do not allow traditional early voting. Instead, early voting is offered in the form of absentee in-person voting and is available as soon as absentee ballots are made available up until noon on Election Day. To vote early, you must qualify for an absentee ballot. To see the accepted reasons for voting absentee, click here.[6]

Florida

Florida is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins at least 10 days before an election and ends three days prior to Election Day.[7] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

2013 developments

Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla (R), who sponsored the 2011 law that reduced the number of early voting days in Florida, authored a bill which would provide increased early voting opportunities.[6]

The proposal was to give counties an extra day for early voting before a general election and allow them to keep polls open for 14 hours. In addition, the bill required all elections supervisors to submit a report three months prior to a general election, outlining preparations for that election.[6]

In addition, Florida's election supervisors asked the legislature for the following changes with respect to early voting:[8]

Require that the Legislature comply with the 75-word ballot summary requirement that is required for citizen-led ballot initiatives (Lawmakers exempted themselves from that requirement years ago, and ordered the full text of several amendments to be on the November ballot, a leading contributor to long lines at polling places).

Require eight days of early voting in primary and general elections "with the option for supervisors to provide additional days not to exceed 14 days." (In 2011 the legislature reduced the number of early voting days from 14 to 8).

Give election supervisors the leeway to select more early voting sites (currently limited to election offices, city halls and libraries).

2012 developments

In 2011, the Republican-controlled legislature cut the number of early voting days from 12 to eight. However, due to a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the counties of Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough, and Monroe would retain their full 12 days of early voting. That is because these counties are covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[6]

The Justice Department has since agreed with the state's early voting schedule provided that the five counties must offer 96 hours of voting between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. over eight days, the maximum under the law. Both the counties and the state have agreed to the terms, so the case should now be thrown out.[10]

Georgia

Georgia is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting is held Monday through Friday of the week immediately preceding the election.[11] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Hawaii

Hawaii is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 14 days before an election and ends three days prior to Election Day.[12] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Idaho

Idaho is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins as soon as ballots become available and ends at 5:00 p.m. the Friday before Election Day.[13]

Illinois

Illinois is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 15 days before an election and ends on the third day prior to the election. Electors who vote early will be required to show identification.[14] The nationwide average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Iowa

Iowa is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins as soon as ballots are made available and ends on the day prior to Election Day. If polls open at noon, then early voting would occur from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Election Day as well.[16]

Kansas

Kansas is one of 33 states (plus the District of Columbia) that permits some form of early voting. Early voting begins 20 days before an election. Ballots must be received by close of polls on Election Day.[17]

Maryland

Maryland is one of 33 states (plus the District of Columbia) that permits some form of early voting. Early voting begins on the second Thursday prior to Election Day and ends on the Thursday before the election.[20]

Mississippi

Missouri

Missouri allows early in-person voting, but only for those who will not be in their home county on the day of the election.[25]

2013 developments

Missouri Secretary of StateJason Kander appointed an 11-member commission to review the state's election laws with the goal of increasing participation in early voting. The commission proposed removing the restriction on early voting and creating one polling place in each district where residents could vote early up to six weeks before Election Day.[26]

Additionally, the proposal would require districts with more than 175,000 registered voters to open up additional locations for early voting for a November presidential election. The locations would be required to be open at least four hours a day for a minimum of 14 days prior to the election.[27]

Montana

Montana is one of 33 states (plus the District of Columbia) that permits some form of early voting. Early voting begins as soon as ballots are made available and ends on the day prior to Election Day.[28]

Nebraska

Nevada

Nevada is one of 33 states (plus the District of Columbia) that permits early voting in some form. Early voting begins on the third Saturday before the election and ends on the Friday prior to Election Day.[29][30]

New Mexico

New Mexico is one of 33 states (plus the District of Columbia) that permits some form of early voting. Early voting begins on the third Saturday (17 days) before the election and ends on the Saturday (three days) prior to Election Day.[11]

New York

North Carolina

North Carolina is one of 33 states (plus the District of Columbia) that permit some form of early voting. Early voting begins on the third Thursday before Election Day and ends on the Saturday prior to the election.[33]

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is one of 34 states that have early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting is held on the Thursday and Friday (and Saturday for state and federal elections only) immediately preceding Election Day.[36] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Carolina is one of eight states that allow early voting but require an excuse to vote early. Early voting begins as soon as ballots become available and ends at 5 p.m. the day prior to Election Day. To vote early you need to provide an excuse for why you will be unable to vote at the polls during normal voting hours. Those who qualify for an absentee ballot also qualify to vote early.[11][40]

South Dakota

South Dakota is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Completed ballots must be returned to the county election official by close of polls on Election Day.[41]

Tennessee

Tennessee is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 20 days before Election Day and ends five days prior.[42] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Texas

Texas is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins the 17th day before an election and ends on the fourth day prior to Election Day.[6] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Utah

Utah is one of 34 states that have early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 14 days before an election and ends the Friday prior to Election Day.[43][44] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Vermont

Vermont is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 45 days before an election and ends on the day prior to Election Day.[45] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Virginia

Virginia is one of fourteen states that do not allow early voting. Although it is not technically considered early voting, Virginians may submit an absentee ballot in-person, serving the same purpose as early voting.[46][47]

Washington

Washington is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 18 days before an election and ends on the day prior to Election Day. The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

West Virginia

West Virginia is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 13 days before an election and ends three days prior to Election Day.[48] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting runs for two weeks before an election, ending at 5 p.m. or close of business (whichever is later) on the Friday before the election.[49] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.

2014 developments

In March 2014, Governor Scott Walker applied a partial veto to a bill altering the state's early voting procedures. The legislation as passed restricted early voting hours in several cities to 45 hours per week. Walker vetoed this provision, but he left in place a provision prohibiting early voting on weekends. Democrats alleged that the restrictions placed an undue burden on minorities, veterans, the elderly and students. Republicans maintained that the changes were necessary to ensure uniformity in procedures between urban and rural locations, arguing that rural election officials often lack the resources needed to maintain the same early voting hours that cities can offer.[50]

Wyoming

Wyoming is one of 34 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins 40 days before an election and ends on Election Day.[51] The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.